LAS VEGAS - A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

I am old enough to remember when Las Vegas dinner shows were only ten dollars. Imagine - ten bucks for a complete dinner plus a show with top entertainers such as Liberace, Paul Anka, Peggy Lee, etc. etc.

This was in the early 70s when I moved to Vegas for the same reason many performers bought homes here -- to income escape taxes from California except my purpose was for business reasons.

To show how ancient I really am I can even recall Vegas in the Fifties- 1957 - stayed at the old Dunes hotel. The buffet was brought to your table on a cart - cost a whopping two and a half bucks. In 3 days I saw Dick Shawn, Jimmy Durante and Joe E. Lewis right
before the El Rancho hotel burnt down. Dinner shows for well under ten bucks.

Lewis was always performing there paying off his gambling debts at the hotel. Also saw stripper Lily St. Cyr there behind a SCREEN doing her wine bath strip. That was daring for Vegas in 1957 before the topless production shows arrived.

Ah, sweet memories --although I tell people I am only around 39 - but I have actually been around TWICE.


Irv